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U.S. strikes Iran-linked tanker near Kharg Island

The attack came as the U.S. resumed and broadened a naval blockade on vessels transiting to or from Iranian ports and coastal areas, sending oil prices back above $85 a barrel Brent.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Energy

The U.S. Central Command said early on Thursday that U.S. forces struck and disabled an Iran-linked sanctioned oil tanker near Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, one of Iran’s key export terminals.

CENTCOM said the vessel observed by U.S. forces, the Curacao-flagged M/T Belma, ignored multiple warnings as it attempted to violate the U.S. blockade. CENTCOM added that a U.S. aircraft disabled the tanker after firing hellfire missiles into the ship’s smokestack, and that the vessel was no longer transiting to Iran.

CENTCOM said U.S. forces enforced naval blockade measures on July 15 by disabling an unladen oil tanker attempting to sail toward an Iranian port in the Arabian Gulf. It also described the Belma as the first U.S. attack on an Iran-linked vessel since the blockade was reinstated in response to Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the southern lane of the Strait of Hormuz.

The re-escalation in recent days has lifted oil prices back above $85 per barrel for Brent, according to the report.

Latest closeBrent $85.39 ▲0.8%

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